Back home in Christchurch! (No, not home home Mom, but home here home). I do love this city though!

I think we were in Golden Bay the last we left. We stayed there 3 nights, exploring some of the amazing Abel Tasman National Park. Abel Tasman was a Dutch explorer and was the first European to record discovery of New Zealand (named after Zealand in Holland; the Maori name for NZ is Aotearoa , "land of the long white cloud") circa 1650. He encountered trouble with the Maoris (as in they killed most of his crew) so he didn't waste any time heading over to Australia (crossing the Tasman Sea). Captain James Cook was the next European explorer to visit NZ in 1769. He got on better with the natives and quite successfully mapped most of the country to an incredibly accurate degree given his tools at the time. There is even a point of reference for long/latitude lines in the Abel Tasman that Cook made and is still used. Cook's really seen as a hero around here for the relations he had with the Maori and the accuracy of his work.

So, to make a short story long.... Saturday we drove the entire day to get up to Takaka, stopping in Punakiki to see the pancake rocks and other random breaks. The pancake rocks are limestone rocks where the sediment has been washed away, leaving the impression of a stack of huge flat rocks. The erosion also created blowholes which were fun to watch. But I'm simple.

Sunday we visited the Farewell Spit, the top of the South Island that is one massive sand bar. I think it's 30km long, 1km wide. Beautiful. Great walk through there that lasted a good few hours and involved a hike through mucky cow and sheep fields (the sheep weren't impressed. They kept pissing as we came closer in fact). Over to Whareriki beach with another great hike (along hilltops this time) and down to the most spectacular beach I've ever seen. We didn't have time to explore the sea caves, but we did happen along a seal pup colony at play time. It was amazing. About 15 pups all playing in a pool about 2 ft from us with the mums up on the rocks watching over. A local couple came along and explained that no one has yet to try to harm the colony so the pups grow up completely comfortable with people nearby. The mums are never far but they aren't nervous either. We watched them forever and, although the pups had appeared to be ignoring us, they came to the rocks when we walked away.

Monday was an all day kayaking adventure in another part of the park. Just the 4 of us with 1 guide, Banksy, and about 7 hours to kill. Mark claims I didn't have much rhythm (we were in 2-man kayaks) but I know I was carrying him all day. Typical. We had tea in a lagoon, lunch on a remote beach and then wandered (in the boats) about islands spotting seals and other NZ wildlife as we went. Paddled about 10km in the end! (Banksy was no Ross though Sherilyn!) It was a perfect day.

Tuesday - Wellington bound. We had about 8 hours to do a 4 hour journey so random wandering happened and another pit stop in Nelson. Eventually a 6pm crossing (Lucy stayed behind in Picton), into our Wellington hostel by 10pm, out for drinks with a Foley friend Duncan by 10:15. Wednesday, Sarah & Paul left us to explore the rest of the North Island. Mark & I met Duncan for lunch and got a tour of Island Bay area of Wlgtn. We did the city art gallery (very modern exhibits) and headed to the zoo. Highlights of the zoo: burping camels, horny baboons and suicidal chimps.

That night we caught the opera Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte. Thoroughly enjoyed - can't say I was anticipating that! Thursday we had a full day at Te Papa, the national Museum that is MASSIVE like you wouldn't belive, a movie and drink with Duncan at night. Tour of the Parliament Buildings (Mark got opera, I got government, how predictable!) on Friday am and we were goners on the afternoon ferry. Late last night we arrived home to Chch. Only 3 more days with the Mark so he's making all the calls on our activities now!